Wizarding Hearts
by JLawrence Kenny
Summary: When Hogwarts is consumed by the now almost nonexistent Heartless, how will Harry adapt to his new role as Keybearer? And what new, chilling enemy lies just over the horizon? HIATUS
1. Destruction

Well, dear readers of internet land, this is yet another crossover Fanfic that I've had bouncing around the inside of my head for a while. To those of you that follow me, I am not abandoning my other story, and to those of you who don't, you should totally go read my other story. I like crossovers because of the challenge that comes from trying to merge to separate Universes together so that their laws make sense. But I digress. I present to you, Wizarding Hearts.

* * *

><p><strong>Destruction<strong>

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" whispered Harry. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

A red-gold glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above them as an edge of dazzling sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. The light hit both of their faces at the same time, so that Voldemort's was suddenly a flaming blur. Harry heard the high voice shriek as he too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco's wand:

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

"_Expelliarmus!"_

The bang was like a cannon blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead center of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided.

Suddenly, something went wrong.

As quickly as the flames had erupted, they disappeared into a black void that appeared at the center point. The silence that had fallen over the crowd continued as all present stared at the emptiness that had absorbed the two spells: the crowd with anticipation, Harry with curiosity, and Voldemort with hesitant fear.

Then, without any warning, a swarm of pitch-black creatures erupted from the black void. Caught off-guard, the majority of the crowd was helpless as the creatures attacked them. The veteran fighters such as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick managed to fire off spells at the invading force, but were overwhelmed by the sheer number.

Harry watched in desperation as the ravenous creatures attacked his friends that had managed to survive for so long before his eye caught movement from Voldemort. In the confusion, Voldemort had wrestled another wand away from a bystander and had now leveled it at Harry, again casting the Killing Curse towards him. Thankfully, the black void again absorbed the spell as it began dragging rubble, people, and spell-fire alike into its slowly expanding gullet.

While Harry was reluctant to allow Voldemort the chance to recuperate and gain the upper hand, the sudden appearance of the black void caused him to worry about his friends. Throwing one last look of disgust toward Voldemort, he turned, searching frantically until he found the two of them backed up in a corner, surrounded by the black creatures.

"Harry, help us!" yelled Hermione. Ignoring the murderous Dark Lord, Harry ran to their aid, flinging spells left and right in an attempt to distract the creatures from their prey. He grabbed Hermione's wrist, dragging her and Ron out of the corner, running out the doors of the Great Hall and onto the grounds.

The sight that greeted their eyes was beyond what they could have imagined.

Instead of the war-stricken ground that had been present a mere ten minutes prior, the only thing that greeted the trio's eyes was a gigantic void just like the one that had appeared in the Great Hall. Ron sank to the ground in horror as the three watched the trees, the ground, even the sky ripped apart and sucked into the massive darkness that threatened their world.

Harry clutched the wand in his hand painfully. He didn't know what was going on, nor did he care. The monotonous months of searching for Voldemort's horcruxes, his own sacrifice, and the sacrifices of all his friends and family; it all became pointless as the world he knew was slowly destroyed by this unknown force of evil. He turned around, watching the noble ramparts of Hogwarts slowly disappear into the void, just as Voldemort burst out of the doors himself. Harry found some solace in the fear that was evident in Voldemort's face, and the fact that even if the entire world were to be destroyed, the most evil wizard of recent history would at least die with them.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Harry turned around to see Hermione's tear-stained face inches from his own. He pulled her into a long embrace, taking comfort in his friend's arms moments before the darkness enveloped them all.

And he fell down… down… down into the darkness.

Master Yen Sid looked out at the night sky from his tower, the gentle glow and twinkle of the stars in the sky his own personal entertainment. For once, he was not looking out at the stars with a look of concentration and apprehension on his face. He was not waiting for any of the stars to twinkle out. He was not waiting for any unknown visitors. And he was not waiting for disaster to strike. He was relaxing for the first time in many years. The chosen wielders of the Keyblade had brought peace and harmony out of the chaos that had threatened the worlds. While the Heartless would always exist, the machines that had created the artificial Heartless in Ansem's laboratory had been destroyed for good, thereby significantly reducing the threat they posed to the world order.

So content was Yen Sid, that he almost missed the faint star twinkle out of existence near the edge of his vision. His good mood was ruined, and he scowled deeply. The borders between the worlds had once again been erected, preventing passage between them. Apparently, enough darkness must have been present on the world to allow a great Heartless threat to amass and find its Keyhole. The unknown planet's fate saddened Yen Sid and, though it seemed to be nothing more than an isolated incident, he resolved to check up with his apprentice, King Mickey, at the earliest convenience, to ensure that nothing untoward had occurred to threaten the ever-important world order.

As he watched the sad star fade slowly to nothingness, Yen Sid witnessed three specks of light shoot out from it. _Strong hearts, no doubt, to survive the utter destruction of their planet._ He closed his eyes, silently wishing them luck wherever they found themselves landing.

That was when a loud crash reverberated throughout his tower, startling him out of his reverie. He turned around quickly, ready to combat whatever threat might be making its way up to him, but stopped when he noticed the strangely clad girl lying unconscious in front of his desk. He sighed heavily, realizing that a new adventure lay just around the corner.

Was it too much to ask for just one day of peace and quiet?

* * *

><p>And there is your first chapter! Reviews are, as always, appreciated, as they convince me that my work does not suck, and inspires me to keep writing this and procrastinate on the actual novel I'm working on. For the record, that's on Ficwad if you're interested, under the same penname.<p>

I think I'm slightly masochistic for always picking combat-heavy games to crossover with. It's difficult to write fluid fighting scenes in story form, and I usually take inspiration from the Kingdom Hearts Manga by keeping the combat down to a minimum. And I'm starting to ramble yet again. Til next time, fair readers!


	2. Arrival

Yes, my readers, I have returned with another chapter of Wizarding Hearts. I found this chapter particularly difficult to start and end, though the middle flowed pretty easily, otherwise it would've been updated a few days ago. Regardless of my issues, I hope you enjoy this installment.

* * *

><p><strong>Arrival<strong>

Gradually, Harry became aware of his existence. Normally, this would be an inconsequential event, but considering the fact that he had just expected to be dead, it was quite the revelation. He groaned as he felt his aching body protest his return to consciousness, shifting slightly on the soft surface upon which he laid.

"So. You're finally awake."

Harry opened his eyes suddenly, eyes moving to the owner of the soft voice that had just spoken. He tried to scramble away, but his body gave out before he could move much more than an inch, and his eyes snapped shut again from the pain. "Don't come near me!"

He heard the person make his way across the room towards him, and he hastily grabbed his wand, pointing it at the approaching figure, yelling "STUPEFY!"

The footsteps ceased. Harry relaxed for a moment, confident that the threat had been neutralized. He was surprised, then, when he heard the voice resume, "Well, at least we know that you're not completely defenseless," and before he could react with another spell, he felt his wand snatched out of his grasp. Unwilling to give up so easily, Harry lunged out toward the man. With the element of surprise, he managed to drive his shoulder into the man's abdomen, hoping to wind him enough to allow time to retrieve his wand and escape.

However, the man easily grabbed Harry by the back of his robes, tossing him back onto the soft surface. "Calm down, before you hurt yourself." The calm quality of the man's voice did little to ease Harry's discomfort; if anything, it annoyed him even further to know that he wasn't taking Harry seriously. He opened his eyes to glare defiantly at the figure in front of him.

The figure in question chuckled as he noticed the derisive look in Harry's eyes. "You've got quite the spirit, kid." Blue eyes sat beneath the man's unruly brown hair, and he wore a black leather outfit with fur accents. To Harry, he looked quite eccentric, but when he noticed the jagged scar cut across his face, as well as the large, oddly shaped, sword that hung from his waist, Harry knew that he was not a man to be crossed.

Harry attempted to stand again, but the adrenaline flowing through his body had already subsided, causing him to fall back on what Harry finally realized was a bed. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?"

The man's face remained stoic for a moment, but he finally replied, "Leon. And I just want you to heal up."

Harry looked quizzically at Leon, but he refused to divulge anything else. "And how am I supposed to believe that when I know nothing about you?"

Another long pause, and Leon looked away from Harry. "You'll just have to trust me." Harry tried to reply, but he suddenly found himself in the middle of a coughing fit. Leon silently turned around, walking away from Harry and opening a door that he hadn't noticed until now. "I'll be right back with some help."

Harry reached helplessly toward the retreating figure as if to stop him, but the door was closed before you could articulate any words. Alone, Harry decided to examine the room more thoroughly, in case he needed to make a quick exit. In his current state of health, that was unlikely, but the long months of camping had enhanced his caution. The building in which he found himself seemed to be comprised of only one room, with no windows and only one door through which he could exit. It was well-lit, and aside from a few dull yellow lamps, the only source of light came from an enormous computer that stood against a wall in the corner of the room. Knick-knacks of all types adorned the wall and ceiling. Hundreds of books covered the floor in places, stacked nearly to the ceiling, causing Harry to absently reflect on how Hermione would absolutely love this house.

Hermione! Harry suddenly remembered the events that had happened just before he woke up. His "death," his battle with Voldemort, and the sudden and unexplainable appearance of those black creatures. He remembered seeing his entire world being devoured by darkness, and then… What had happened? How was he still alive and where were his friends? Had it all been a dream?

A million questions whizzed through his head, distracting him so much that he barely even registered the door reopen and five people walk into the large room. Before he could speak, one of the new people, an older blonde man who wore goggles and had a toothpick in-between his teeth, said, "Them's some funny clothes he's wearing."

"You're not exactly the greatest looker yourself, Cid." This came from a girl that looked around Harry's age. She also wore a black leather outfit, though her shorts and vest left little to the imagination. Harry might've stared had he not also noticed the giant weapon the hung from her back and decided that doing so would probably not be in his best interest.

"What'd you just say to me, you whippersnapper?"

"Bring it, old man!"

Harry raised himself up on his elbows, trying to sit up and get a better look at the argument, but one of the other women in the room, a brunette wearing a pink and white dress entered his view. Cutting off his question, she pushed him gently back down onto the bed. "You can ask question later. For right now, let's get you healed up." Harry wanted to argue, but her eyes exuded a gentle calm that soothed his nerves, and he reluctantly loosened up as best he could. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then waved her hands over his body, muttering "Cure" as she did so.

The effect was instantaneous, as Harry felt his every ache and pain wash away into oblivion, only to be replaced with surprise and wonder. Not only was this woman a witch, but she was obviously an immensely powerful one to be able to cast spells without the aid of a wand, something he wasn't even sure Dumbledore could have done.

"What's your name?"

Harry found himself staring into the woman's eyes once again. "Harry. Harry Potter."

If he was confused by the fact that she didn't automatically know his name like everyone else in the Wizarding World, he was dumbfounded when her reaction was only a slight nod, along with the reply, "My name is Aerith. It's a pleasure to meet you." Gesturing behind her, she said, "You've already met Leon obviously. The two bickering are Yuffie and Cid, and the last one is named Tifa." Tifa leaned up against the wall of the house in a similar fashion to Leon. Her long black hair obscured her face.

Harry nodded to show that he understood, then asked, "Where are we?"

"This is Radiant Garden." Leon made his way around the bickering Yuffie and Cid, extending his hand out to Harry, in which was his wand.

Harry took it with a suspicious, "Thanks," then turned back to Aerith. "Is this anywhere near London?"

"London? Is that where you come from?"

"Well, not exactly London, but that's not important. I need to get back to Hogwarts, my friends all need me, and only I can save them." Harry noticed that the occupants of the room had finally quieted down, and they were all looking at him. "What is it?"

They all shuffled uncomfortably, and Harry could tell that his worst fears were about to be realized as Aerith spoke. "I think there's something you need to know, Harry."

* * *

><p>Poor Harry. Just lost his entire world, and Yuffie and Cid just wouldn't shut up. I have a couple of really cool ideas that you will eventually see down the line thanks to my friends at DeviantArt, though not for a while. Just Read and Review, and I will be happy. ^_^ Merlin, I'm tired.<p> 


	3. A New Face Appears

Greetings dear readers. There is a link on my page containing a picture of Harry's new weapon. Hope you enjoy the update.

* * *

><p><strong>A New Face Appears<strong>

The group sat in silence as they both struggled to wrap their minds around each others' stories. Cid was the first to speak. "Damn kid, you been through some rough times, huh? Certainly done more than some of us can say."

Harry nodded glumly. "It was all for nothing, though, if what you say is true. My entire world, gone, devoured by the… what did you call them?"

"The Heartless," said Leon. "There was a time when they threatened to consume every world there is, but these days they are much less common. They only show up in worlds whose people have let darkness consume their hearts."

"Right. But then how did I survive and end up here?"

This time it was Aerith who replied. "People with strong hearts that are full of light. People who don't allow the darkness to overcome them may sometimes be saved from that destruction."

Harry perked up at her response. "So it's possible that other people from my world survived?"

"Anything is possible, Harry. But it's pretty unlikely." Yuffie's words instantly dispelled Harry's brief moment of optimism. "I don't mean to sound negative or anything, but if even one person survives the destruction of their world, that's better than usual."

"So what now?" Harry asked. Before anyone could say anything, an explosion rocked the small house, and he watched as everyone was suddenly running out the door. "Hey, wait for me!" Harry followed them out into the dim twilight, only to watch them dart away from the house faster than he had ever seen anyone run before.

He made to follow them further, but Tifa put her arm out in front of him, startling Harry as he looked into her blood-red eyes. How had he not seen her standing there? "Leave this to us, Harry. I know you're not a pushover, but anything that's made it past our defenses is likely way beyond anything even you have dealt with." Harry bristled at the casual dismissal, but nodded his head, remembering how useless his spells had been against the Heartless that had invaded Hogwarts. "Follow that path, and you'll find a safe-house for refugees like yourself. They'll help you decide what to do next."

With that, Tifa ran off to join the others, leaving Harry to make his way in the other direction, alone. The houses all looked the same, so he followed the main path that Tifa had indicated to him. As he walked down the path, taking in the serene beauty of the world, he tried his best to accept the impossible. That his world had been destroyed, swallowed up by a strange enemy, but he had somehow survived. He alone was the only surviving memory of the mystical land of Hogwarts, of the entire planet Earth. How was he supposed to continue on when everything he knew no longer existed?

And yet… somehow, he just knew that he couldn't be the only survivor. Certainly, Hermione and Ron had survived. The bond among the three of them was too strong to be destroyed by something as simple as the destruction of their world. At least, he hoped it was. Clinging to this desperate shred of hope, Harry turned his eyes skyward to the slowly setting sun and the emerging stars. He knew he would see his friends again someday. Sooner rather than later, hopefully. He turned his gaze back to the path, and was surprised to see that someone stood in the middle, blocking a large staircase. "Hey there," Harry called to the person, hoping that they could give him better instructions.

The person turned suddenly, dropping into a battle stance and drawing a wicked looking double bladed sword from behind his back. Shocked, he grasped his hand around his wand as the person spoke. "Where am I, you Talamh deadbeat?"

Harry was utterly confused at the stranger's declaration. He was much taller than Harry, with messy brown hair much like his own, but the thing that stood out most about him was his eyes, which glowed a bright yellow. "I asked you a question, you green-eyed runt. Tell me before I have to kill you."

He took a step toward Harry, who pulled out his wand and shouted "Expelliarmus!" The man's strange sword flew out of his hand and fell at Harry's feet, genuinely stunning him. "What kind of magic is that?"

"What does it matter? Now why did you attack me?"

His eyes narrowed. "Don't play games with me, Talamh. Your very existence is enough for me to attack you, as you well know." Harry was utterly lost at this point, and his day only got worse when the man raised his hand and shot a large blast of fire at Harry. He managed to dive out of the way just in time, shooting an Exploding Hex at his enemy. It exploded against a wall harmlessly, as the man was no longer there. Glancing back to where he came from, he saw that the enemy had regained his weapon, dodging every spell Harry threw at him as he bared down on Harry. In a last ditch effort to save himself, Harry closed his eyes and threw his arms up in front of him as he fell backwards.

Suddenly, a blast of light shone through his eyelids. He heard his enemy grunting with effort as the blow Harry expected to feel never came. Another flash of light and he heard the man yell as he seemed to be blown back across the path by some unknown force. Harry opened his eyes and saw the man picking himself up off the ground, but his attention was focused on the weapon that was suddenly in his hands.

At least, he thought it was a weapon. It was roughly the same size and shape as a sword, but it was green, had no edge, and had a strange angular design at the end and hilt. As he looked at it, an ethereal voice rang through his mind, whispering the word "_Keyblade…"_

Before he could examine it further, he heard an angry shout as the enemy charged back towards him, sword ready. Harry lifted the surprisingly light weapon, knowing full well that there was no way he could ever be able to hold his own against the accomplished enemy, having never lifted a weapon other than his wand. But there was no way he was going to give up without a fight. As the enemy swung his sword toward Harry, the voice whispered to Harry to direct the Keyblade, and he followed without hesitation. The Keyblade met his opponent's sword and easily deflected it, much to the surprise of them both. The enemy swung again, and again Harry parried. He was somehow managing to hold his own against someone who had obviously had years of experience in swordplay.

When the enemy shot another blast of fire towards Harry and he dispelled it with the Keyblade, he actually laughed in exhilaration. His happiness was short-lived, however, as his enemy had disappeared from his sight while he was distracted. "What…?" A whisper came from behind him, and he turned to parry just a hair too slow, and felt himself punched clear across the path, falling heavily on the stone. He suddenly felt himself being pulled up by the front of his robes and found himself staring into the man's yellow eyes again.

"I'll ask you again; where are we?"

Harry coughed to relieve the pain in his chest. "It's called Hollow Bastion, but beyond that, I don't know, I only just got here."

The man dropped Harry to the ground. "There, was that so hard now? Now I can stop playing with you and kill you outright."

He raised his weapon to strike Harry down, but without warning, another figure appeared in front of Harry, sending his opponent flying through the air once again, though he managed to land on his feet. Tifa stood in front of Harry, her fists raised. "Just can't stay out of trouble, can you, Harry? That's good, I don't like boring people."

"Why did you attack me, Kaji?" The man stood with his weapon ready again.

"What'd you call me, creep?" Tifa clenched her fists in anger.

"Kaji. That is the name of our clan, is it not? I can tell by the color of your eyes. Why are you defending this Talamh?"

Tifa looked at the man with sorrowful eyes as she lowered her guard. She really didn't like having to explain the death of someone's world more than once per day.

* * *

><p>For those of you wondering who the new face is, he is an OC from the novel I am writing. Reviews are always appreciated. ^_^<p> 


	4. Departure

Greeting, patrons of internet land. Sorry for the long update time, but lately I just was not in the mood to write at all, even though I wanted to. It was a weirdly ambivalent feeling, but I managed to get through it somehow. Last chapter, I got a few worries about my OC taking over the story, but I promise you that, while he will still be majorly involved in the story, it's still all about Harry. Nothing will change that.

* * *

><p><strong>Departure<strong>

Harry leaned against a wall, watching as Tifa explained to the mysterious yellow-eyed stranger about what had happened to his world. The Heartless. The destruction of his world. To his credit, Harry thought he was taking it rather well, sitting on the staircase with a stoic expression, asking only occasional questions. Harry had practically begged to be told it was a joke when he learned of this new world.

"Harry!" A shout drew his attention back down the street, as Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith ran toward him.

"What happened with that enemy? You don't seem all too flustered."

"A small squad of whatever this enemy is managed to get through our defenses," Aerith responded. "We have no idea what they were, but the strangest thing is that our Claymore defense system didn't even register them, as if they simply didn't exist."

"Harry, who is that?" Leon's gaze was directed straight at Tifa and the visitor.

Harry shrugged. "Another refugee like myself, I suppose. He mistook me for someone from his own world, and attacked me."

Yuffie eyed the man's double-bladed sword appreciatively. "And you managed to stay alive? I guess you're tougher than we gave you credit for."

Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "Actually, he was just about to finish me off right before Tifa arrived. I only survived that long because of this thing." With that, Harry picked up the Keyblade that lay beside him. Whatever reaction he had expected from the trio upon seeing the weapon, their expressions of amazement and disbelief was the last on the list. Even Leon, who had never given Harry any indication that he even _had _emotions showed momentary surprise on his face. "Uh, it's called a…"

"Keyblade, we know," interrupted Leon. "You certainly are full of surprises, Harry."

"You know? You mean you've seen one of these before?" Harry inspected the Keyblade closer. For the most part, it was colored the same shade of green as his eyes, with silver accents. The design at the end of the blade had an angular design that reminded him of the antlers of a stag. The soft leather grip felt as if it were molded to the exact shape of his hand; it was an elegant weapon, and he felt connected to it. Every part of the Keyblade reflected him. "It just appeared out of nowhere when I was fighting that guy."

"The Keyblade is a very special weapon, Harry," said Aerith. "We still don't know all of its secrets, but we do know that only those with strong hearts have the ability to wield it. And that those who do so often have an important role to play in keeping the balance between all the worlds."

"Great, so even when I fail to protect my own world from destruction, now I'm responsible for saving the entire universe? I just can't catch a break, can I?"

"Tough luck, Harry, but you'll pull through." Tifa had finally returned to the group, the stranger following in her wake. He strode up to Harry, whose eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, despite the much friendlier look in the stranger's eyes.

"I must apologize for my unwarranted attack on you, Harry. The world I come from is one ravaged by never-ending war, and the color of a person's eyes indicates which clan they are. People with green eyes aren't exactly on the best of terms with yellow." With a guilty smile, the stranger ran his hand through his hair. "My name is Akihiko, by the way."

"Well, I don't blame you for your actions if your world is as bad as you say it is. I know better than anyone about constant vigilance against your enemies." Though not entirely convinced, Harry felt as though Akihiko was someone with whom he could relate. "So, where do we go from here, Leon?"

"Forward." Cryptic as usual, with that, Leon turned away, and headed back toward the house.

The hyperactive Yuffie bounced in at that point, exclaiming, "Well, if you're a Keyblade wielder, then going to the refugee house seems pretty silly; you're meant for bigger things!" She ran behind him, pushing him in the same direction as Leon. "We should talk to Cid about getting you a Gummi ship so you can visit Yen Sid."

"Gummi ship?"

"It's how we travel between worlds! Sounds silly, I know, but it works, trust me!"

Suddenly, Harry ran into someone that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "I'd like to come along, if you don't mind," said Akihiko. Harry turned around, looking at the spot Akihiko had occupied only milliseconds ago. His speed was incredible, and Harry realized that he had probably been merely toying with him during their fight.

Yuffie frowned. "I don't know, Akihiko. You may be a great fighter and all, but we don't usually let people travel between the worlds. It messes with the order of things."

"Actually, it might not be such a bad idea." Everyone turned to Tifa. "While Harry may be the Keyblade's chosen one, he isn't exactly the best warrior. He could use some protection, and I feel that Akihiko would be much more comfortable on the battlefield than doing a job here."

Akihiko grinned. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that "chosen" people lead interesting lives. And I like being in the thick of things."

"Trust me," said Harry, "My life has never NOT been interesting." He looked at the Keyblade, noticing the phoenix feather keychain hanging off. "I've already been the Chosen One for quite a while, and it's caused me nothing but trouble. What's one more title to me?"

Yuffie still seemed unconvinced. "Well, we'll have to check with Cid anyway. C'mon, you lazy bums, follow me."

* * *

><p>Less than an hour later, the entire group stood inside a Gummi hanger. "Beauty, isn't she?" asked Cid.<p>

"I still think your design is tacky," replied Yuffie.

"Watch it, you!"

Harry wandered up to the ship reverently, ignoring the argument behind him. He tapped on the side of the ship, surprised to find it felt rubbery, almost elastic. "This thing is gonna get us into outer space?"

"We actually call it the Lanes Between, but yes; this will take you to other worlds," Aerith responded. "Before you leave, I would like to give you a gift." Closing her eyes, Aerith's hands began glowing, and she placed them upon Harry's shoulders. He felt a sudden rush of energy enter his body, and felt invigorated, as if power were buzzing throughout his body. "You can now use the Spell "Cure," Harry. Magic works differently in these worlds than in yours, but when the time comes, you'll know how to use it. And I'm sure you'll still be able to use all your old spells along with these."

"Well, are we ready to go?" asked Akihiko.

Cid sniffed loudly. "Yup, that baby is prime! I've got her set on autopilot to take you straight to Yen Sid's Mysterious Tower. He'll know what to do about this whole damn situation."

Aerith placed a kiss upon Harry's head as he and Akihiko boarded the Gummi ship. Then the engines roared to life, shooting them out of the world, and into a new adventure, leaving the Radiant Garden group hoping for the best, and hoping that Harry would never have a reason to use his Keyblade.

* * *

><p>Silly Leon &amp; Co. Don't they realize that trouble will always follow in the wake of a Keyblade wielder? Thanks for reading, reviews are always appreciated, and I'll see you again in a few days when I update my other Fanfic! ^_^<p> 


	5. The Mysterious Tower

Dear readers of the interwebs. I AM SO SO SORRY ABOUT THE INSANELY LONG UPDATE! However, I actually do have a very good reason for the delay. My past few weeks have been dedicated to the creation and uptake of several blogs that are now fully functional on the interwebs. You can find the links on my profile page, and I do hope you check them out and subscribe. I spent a lot of time on them, and they are too pretty to not be read. Also, I get money for every hit, so there's that. Anyway, here is your ever-so-late update. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>The Mysterious Tower<strong>

The Gummi Ship ride to the Mysterious Tower was an abnormally quiet one. The ship was on autopilot, allowing the two to sit in relative comfort, but neither began any sort of conversation. Harry wanted to break the silence somehow, but couldn't think of anything that wouldn't make him sound like a complete jerk. The grim look on Akihiko's face told Harry that he was still coming to terms with the destruction of his entire world and all the people he cared about, and Harry wasn't about to interrupt his thoughts out of idle curiosity.

Harry turned his gaze out the window, marveling at the strange site of the Lanes Between. Unlike the dark outer space he had expected, the paths between the worlds glowed gentle shades of blue and green. The numerous worlds sparkled in the distance, and he could even make out some of them vaguely as they passed by. One was covered in a vast jungle, another with a giant castle atop, and even one that was nothing more than a ship floating in the seemingly endless space. The revelation of these many worlds was only the second most amazing thing to occur to Harry, even if it was even more difficult to accept than the existence of an entire wizarding world living right alongside the Muggle world.

Speaking of which, Harry looked down at his wand. Rather than the wand of Draco Malfoy, he held his own Holly and Phoenix Feather wand in his hand, which had somehow been magically repaired by the appearance of the Keyblade. He didn't understand how it had happened, but he wasn't about to be overly critical of such a good twist of fate, when his life was mostly nothing but bad luck. Satisfied, he looked out again, noticing that the Gummi Ship was slowing down as it came closer to a world that housed a single tower – the Mysterious Tower, he presumed, which housed the great wizard Yen Sid. The world reminded him more of fairy tale stories of wizards than the more realistic residences of his world. The tower was situated on nothing more than a small island that floated in the Lanes Between, and its peak sported the more cartoon-esque vision of magic with a stereotypical moon and stars. It seemed a bit strange to him, but he knew that appearances could be deceiving.

The two strangers exited the Gummi Ship, and strode to the front door. Harry chanced another glance at his mysterious companion, before he spoke. "How are you holding up?"

At first, Akihiko didn't speak, but kept walking forward, pushing open the door. "I'm doing about as well as someone who just lost everyone and everything they have ever known could possibly do, Harry." He turned to Harry. "Maybe you should ask yourself that question as well. You've just lost an entire world, your friends, your family. I may not know anything about your life, but any normal person would never be as resilient as you seem to be."

Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm anything but normal. My entire life has been one tragedy after another, and I've learned how to cope with it." He looked up at the night sky. "Right now, I have to keep moving forward. Giving up just isn't an option. Never has been."

He looked back down at Akihiko, who looked ready to say something in response, but a movement from behind him caught Harry's eye. "Get down!" He pulled Akihiko out of the doorway, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the black Heartless. "Reducto!" The spell raced toward his target, hitting it dead-on, but it went straight through the Heartless, blasting a hole in the floor underneath it.

"We have more company, Harry!" Harry turned around to see at least a dozen more of the dark creatures materializing around the duo.

"This isn't good; my spells aren't affecting them." In desperation, he cast more spells at the Heartless, but none of them connected.

Akihiko growled. "I'll take care of them, Harry. Just try not to get yourself hurt in the meantime." He let out a guttural battle cry, and leapt forward to engage the Heartless.

Harry watched in awe as the warrior sliced straight through a Heartless that leapt straight toward him and drove off the horde with seeming ease. However, in his moment of distraction, he had forgotten about the Heartless that had materialized inside the tower, and he only just barely missed being mangled by its claws as it lunged toward him. Harry could only dodge helplessly, as his spells continued to have no effect, when he heard the voice whisper to him again. _Keyblade… Keyblade… _

Harry focused on the Keyblade, summoning it to his hand, and felt the unfamiliar heavy weight almost immediately. The Heartless suddenly stopped attacking him for a moment, and Harry almost saw it shiver in anticipation. Suddenly filled with confidence, Harry took a step forward, and swung the Keyblade, surprised when the weapon actually made contact with the Heartless. It flew backwards, injured, but immediately came back for Harry, dodging left and right in an attempt to escape the Keyblade. Unfortunately for it, the voice guided Harry's hand, and he scored another two hits on the Heartless before it collapsed and then poofed into non-existence.

"Well. That was anticlimactic," Harry muttered before turning to see Akihiko walking toward him. He smiled, willing the Keyblade into nonbeing once more. "Now, let's get going, Akihiko." Akihiko nodded, and the two proceeded into the tower, heading for the stairwell nearby. They passed through several strange portals, along with rooms and staircases that put even Hogwarts to shame with their eccentricity. Thankfully, they encountered no more Heartless along the path, though the two of them remained silent.

Before long, they reached the summit of the tower, emerging into a small room, with no decoration beyond a few bookcases and a few windows in the shape of a crescent moon and a star. The room's grandest feature was an enormous desk sitting in the middle of the room, behind which stood a similarly enormous chair. But more interesting than either of these was the sole occupant of the room, who sat in the chair casually, as if he had been expecting the two of them.

"Master Yen Sid, I presume," said Akihiko. Yen Sid stood up, eyeing the two with curiosity, allowing Harry to better view him. He wore a long blue robe and a pointy wizard's hat adorned with stars and moons, and he looked much younger than Harry had expected, despite the enormous grey beard. But one look at his eyes, and Harry could tell that this wizard was much more than he seemed. Calculating, shrewd, and wise, with a touch of mischief thrown in for good measure, the man's gaze seemed to pierce straight through Harry, so reminiscent of Dumbledore.

"I have been expecting you two, Akihiko and Harry." Yen Sid's voice was deep and rich, and conveyed a presence that demanded attention without effort. "It saddens me that we must meet under such unfortunate circumstances as the recent deaths of your worlds in a time when peace should be the norm."

"Leon sent us here," replied Harry. "He hoped that you might be able to shed some more light on what's been going on lately. Including this." With that statement, Harry summoned his Keyblade, the process almost second-nature already, and held it out for Yen Sid's inspection.

"So, another chosen wielder of the Keyblade appears. You are indeed a very remarkable young man, Harry. You've survived dying twice, have destroyed a tyrant on multiple occasions, and have done much more in six years than many do in an entire lifetime."

Harry regarded him curiously. "How do you know so much about me?"

Yen Sid's eyes twinkled merrily. "Why, that's quite easy. I was told by someone quite close to you. Hermione Granger, she said her name was."

* * *

><p>*Gasp* A cliffhanger? Impossibru! I was very tempted to have Harry join up with Hermione in this chapter, but I realized that the driving influence in KH was the search for the girl, so she won't be showing up for a while. Sorry, all!<p>

Before I leave, I have a request to ask of you all. Think of a new way for Kingdom Hearts to open. We've already had a door in the Realm of Darkness, a portal created from hearts, and the magic of the X-blade that have been ways to do so, and I'm out of ideas. So I lay myself at your feet and beg you for ideas! Thanks, and keep on reading this and my blogs. ^_^


	6. Akihiko's Tale

*Insert usual apologies here* College has finally started back up, leaving less time for writing outside my blogs, but I did manage to pump this baby out yesterday. Enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Akihiko's Tale<strong>

"H-Hermione?" Harry stumbled forward, managing to catch himself on the edge of the desk. "She's alive?"

"Very much so, Harry. It seems you were not the only one from your world with a heart strong enough to survive its destruction."

"Where is she, Master Yen Sid?" The look in Harry's eyes was almost frantic. He had lost her once already… Damned if he was going to allow her to slip through his fingers again. "Is she here?"

"Calm down, Harry. Your friend is quite safe. Though not here, I have sent her to one of the safest places I know. I shall tell you where in a moment, but first," Yen Sid turned to Akihiko, "I am very interested in hearing your story, young warrior."

Harry looked at Akihiko as well, slightly embarrassed that he had completely forgotten about him. For his part, Akihiko looked a bit uncomfortable at the wizard's attention, turning from his gaze. "What does my past matter anymore? It's all gone now, isn't it?"

"That may be true, but you cannot deny that your past has shaped who you are now. And I wish to know more about you."

Closing his eyes, Akihiko nodded, then began. "I come from a land known as Lestroya, where lived four large and powerful clans, each of whom had control over a different element; Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. I came from the Fire Clan, or as we called it, the Kaji. It was a bleak world, embroiled in never-ending war. I don't know anyone who had remembered a time of peace. Recently, a new clan had emerged, bringing even more conflict." He finally looked up at Yen Sid. "I was on the front lines when the… Heartless emerged. Entire armies completely annihilated within moments. I thought for sure I was next when the entire world seemed to disappear, but then I woke up in Radiant Garden. And then, I attacked Harry there," he ended with an apologetic smile.

"It's fine." Harry's mind raced even as he absorbed Akihiko's short monologue. From the sound of it, his life had been even more hectic than Harry's. Sure, he'd had his fair share of brushes with death, but to live in a state of constant war was beyond Harry's imaginings. "You mentioned something about eye colors earlier… What was that about?"

Akihiko's yellow eyes darkened slightly, causing Harry to wonder if perhaps he shouldn't have mentioned anything. "In Lestroya, a person's eyes reveals a couple very important things based on their color: what Clan they come from, and their purity, or how strong they are. Supposedly." He spat out the last word as if it were something dirty. "For example, in the Kaji, our eye colors range from yellow to red, with red denoting those of superior strength and purity. The closer you get to yellow, the weaker the person. It's a rather easy way to treat others like they're dirt." The pain was evident in his voice, causing Harry to wonder that if what he said was true, then how strong must the people from his world be if he was the weakest among them.

"Truly, a bleak time in which you lived, Akihiko." They both looked back to Yen Sid, who inclined his head to Akihiko respectfully. "I wish I might reassure you that nothing of the sort would occur to you again, but the resurgence of the Heartless, as well as a new chosen bearer of the Keyblade, is a dire sign of worse tidings to come. I do not yet understand why they have become more widespread, but I must ask a favor of you both." When the two of them nodded, Yen Sid continued. "I would like you to visit another world, that of my former apprentice. He will be able to give you further advice on how best to wield the Keyblade, whilst I attempt to understand what threatens the worlds again."

"Uh, Master Yen Sid?" Yen Sid glanced at Harry, who took that as an invitation to speak. "I don't mind going to… wherever this world is, but I was hoping that I might be able to see Hermione first. Where exactly is she?"

Yen Sid gave a single chuckle. "Of course you may, Harry. She's waiting for you at Disney Castle. It's quite easily the safest world for anyone to be in, as it's protected by numerous enchantments, as well as my apprentice himself." Harry sighed a breath of relief. "I sense in both of you great potential, Harry and Akihiko. I felt it in your friend Hermione as well. I can only hope that you might be able to use this potential to save us from whatever catastrophe looms over the horizon."

His face set, Harry nodded his approval, Akihiko doing the same. They had both lost their homes; they would do their best to ensure that the same didn't happen to anyone else.

* * *

><p>Hermione blinked, looking up from her book and out of a nearby window. The stars in the night sky twinkled merrily, and the garden of Castle Disney was blooming with color. She felt surprisingly calm considering what had happened the past day. Her world gone, everyone she knew swallowed up into darkness… Maybe it was because she knew that Harry was on his way, and that they would soon be reunited. To know that there was still someone else in the worlds who proved that theirs had existed at one point.<p>

Without warning, she noticed a star in the night sky blink out, and her mood dropped a bit. She only hoped that they wouldn't be too late. They were too late last time, and it had cost them their world. She shuddered to think of what might happen if they failed again…

* * *

><p>Not much in the mood for a lengthy Author's Note, due to illness, but know that I love you all for reading my work. I've also figured out whowhat the enemies are, and what their general goal is, so I've got a lot of the big stuff in my head. Should make writing thes chapters a lot easier in the coming weeks. 'Til next time, lovelies.


End file.
